After having a difficult time financially for quite some time, I realized that part of my problem was my personal housing costs. I really began evaluating what I wanted out of a home, and I realized that I needed to shop for a place that would work better for what I needed. I started paying more and more attention to real estate risks, and it occurred to me that I hadn't invested in a smart property. After talking with my real estate agent, I started focusing on changing my ways, and it was incredible to see how much brighter my future became.
Working from home, either as an employee or someone who freelances in the gig economy, has its benefits. Most people that are stuck in a cubicle fantasize about padding around the house all day in their pajamas with no one telling them what to do. The truth is eerily similar, but for all the wrong reasons. Working from home can be a study in procrastination. It can involve unloading the dishwasher, starting another load of laundry, walking the dog, and very little actual work. It is easy to procrastinate when you are padding around the house all day in your pajamas. Sometimes getting dressed and heading 'out' to work is the best solution, especially for members of Procrastinators Anonymous. Luckily, the options are plentiful.
1. Coffee Shop: Working from a coffee shop is often synonymous with freelancing. Coffee shops not only serve coffee (bonus!), but they have a variety of comfortable seating options and plugs for laptop re-charging. One doesn't need much else to be motivated to get some work done. In fact, working in a coffee shop is so popular that there are actually sites online that provide the background noise from a coffee shop for people who can't get out that day.
2. Library: Public libraries have always been available to serve the needs of the work from home crowd. There are both large tables out in the open and smaller, enclosed work spaces to choose from. While libraries are still quiet spaces to work, the shushing went out with the card catalog.
3. Park: Working from home at a park is a bit trickier, but it can be done. You may need to run a bit of reconnaissance prior to your work day. Whether you like to work at a picnic table or a park bench is not the issue; the issue is electricity. Many parks have accessible plugs for laptop and cell phone charging; you just need to look for them. While you may expect a plug in a park pavilion, you will also find them in unexpected places, like at the base of light poles.
4. Community Center: Scope out your city's community center as well. Many are being built and remodeled with the needs of a changing work force in mind. Community centers now include free WiFi, tables to work at, comfortable seating, even coffee kiosks. They have all the pleasures of home without the distractions.
5. Office Space Rental: If you like the idea of leaving home to work but prefer something more private, you can lease a small office space from a company like Executive Quarters. It doesn't have to be large. In fact, depending on your business needs, it could be just a small suite or it could be several offices and a conference room that you share with a friend or two.
If you need to fight the power of procrastination, get up, get dressed, and get out there. The options of where to work are as limitless as a cubicle is confining.